Roberto Azevêdo

                Director-General                                     

2 November 2016

Dear Ambassadors/Permanent Representatives,

        I am pleased to forward with this letter the 22^nd version of the Evolving Table on Cotton Development Assistance (WT/CFMC/6/Rev.21) for review by Members in advance of the next Round of the Director-General's Consultative Framework Mechanism on Cotton (DGCFMC). 

        The updated version of the Evolving Table (ET) registers contributions from Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Japan, the Netherlands and the United States, as well as from the Common Fund for Commodities (CFC). I would like to underscore the significant support from Brazil, China and India on the platform of South-South Co-operation.

In this new version of the ET, it is worth noting the completion of several projects that have been registered in Part I which relates to "Cotton Specific Development Assistance", as well as the notable increase in the number of new commitments in Part II, which lists "Agriculture and Infrastructure-Related Development Assistance".  

The commitments and disbursements of active operational activities in the latest ET are highlighted as follows: 

·         In Part I, on Cotton Specific Development Assistance, the number of individual beneficiaries increased to 31 from 29, whereas the total number of commitments decreased to 35 from 37. The total value of commitments decreased to US$280.7 million from US$294.8 million reported in the previous version. The disbursement flows decreased by US$15.8 million to reach US$99.8 million. The ratio of total disbursements to total commitments declined to 36% from 39% earlier.

·         In Part II, on Agriculture and Infrastructure-Related Development Assistance, the number of individual beneficiaries increased to 31 from 29, while the total number of commitments increased to 67 from 46. The total value of these commitments increased to US$4.1 billion and the disbursement flows increased by US$120 million to reach US$1.8 billion. The ratio of total disbursements to total commitments declined to 46% from 51%. 

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I am also attaching the 14^th version of the Table on Domestic Cotton Sector Reforms (WT/CFMC/21/Rev.13), reflecting new contributions from Benin and Côte d'Ivoire, as well as the continuation of the initiatives undertaken by Burkina Faso, Chad and Mali. These updates show that the proponent countries continue with their efforts to implement reforms in their cotton sector.

The 26^th Round of the DGCFMC is scheduled to take place in the morning of 23 November 2016. The sixth Dedicated Discussion of the Relevant Trade-related Developments on Cotton, chaired by Ambassador Vitalis, the Chair of the Committee on Agriculture in Special Session, will take place back-to-back, in the afternoon of the same day.

The enclosed documents will form the basis for the 26^th Round of Consultations of the Consultative Framework Mechanism on Cotton, which will be chaired by DDG David P. Shark on my behalf. 

Yours sincerely,

Roberto Azevêdo